Brussels, 26/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - As we had announced earlier (see EUROPE 9374), the Commission adopted a communication on Thursday on European space policy. Developed in collaboration with the services of the Commission, member states and the director of the European Space Agency (ESA), Jacques Dordain, the policy paper suggests a policy framework for sustainable and sound development of the European space sector. The policy proposal is mainly geared to more effective exploitation of resources made available as a combined effort by Europe (Community, national and ESA resources).
As the space sector is a sector of essential growth and strong added value, the document is a major milestone for continued development in Europe, Günter Verheugen told the press on Thursday. “We need a European space policy. Europe must remain present in the space sector so that it is not left behind or marginalised”, the commissioner for industry went on to say, stressing that all spending earmarked for this sector by the EU, ESA and their member states amount to only one fifth of the US budget for the civilian space sector. He went on to add that new competitors, from China and India, are coming onto the scene.
Europe “needs an effective space policy to enable it to exert global leadership in selected policy areas”, the paper stresses, before adding: “To fulfil such roles, the EU increasingly relies on autonomous decision-making, based on space-based information and communication systems. Independent access to space capabilities is therefore a strategic asset for Europe”. Representing a world market worth €90 billion, growing 7% annually, where European companies secure 40% of the commercial markets for satellite manufacturing, launch and satellite services, the space sector is a driver and enabler for the Partnership for Growth and Jobs. Space also offers great scope for high technology innovation in selected areas opening the possibility for the development of lead markets.
To respond to the challenges described above, the strategic mission of a European space policy will be based on the peaceful exploitation of outer space by all member states of the EU and ESA and will seek to: - develop and exploit space applications serving Europe's public policy objectives and the needs of European enterprises and citizens, including in the field of the environment, development and global climate change; - respond to Europe's security and defence needs; - ensure the health and competitiveness of the space industry which fosters innovation, growth, sustainable, high quality and cost-effective service provision; - contribute to the knowledge-based society by investing strongly in space-based science and playing a significant role in the international exploration endeavour; - secure unrestricted access to new and critical technologies, systems and capabilities in order to ensure independent European space applications.
The European strategic space mission, then, is based on: - ensuring more effective coordination of civil space programmes and the highest level of complementarity in the space activities of the ESA, the EU and their respective member states to guarantee better cost effectiveness and avoid unnecessary duplication, responding, thus, to common European needs; - developing and exploiting European space applications like Galileo and GMES and satellite telecommunications applications; - retaining the EU's autonomous access to space; - increasing synergy between defence and civil space programmes, ensuring, in particular, compatibility between the civil and military systems; - developing a joint international relations strategy in space.
In the short term, the implementation of the European Space Policy will involve a number of specific actions, listed in an annex to the communication. Among these, there are: - the European satellite navigation system Galileo will be pursued; - in 2008, the first three operational GMES services covering land, marine and emergency response will enter the pilot phase; - new R&D projects will be launched on integrating space and terrestrial systems by 2008; - the development of networks and of satellite communications services, and their interoperability with terrestrial networks will be funded by FP7; - the implementation of the ESDO and Space roadmap will be continued; - the effective exploitation and use of the international space station will be pursued; - ESA will prepare scenarios and propose programmes to develop programmes for next generation launchers. For a more exhaustive list, see EUROPE 9374.
This document has been sent to EU member states for approval at the 3rd Space Council (with industry ministers and national ESA representatives) in Luxembourg on 21 May. (eh)